1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data processing systems and, more specifically, to a tilt detecting apparatus and method. Still more particularly, the present invention is an apparatus and method for determining whether a product has been tilted beyond a predetermined threshold.
2. Description of the Related Art
Products, such as sensitive hardware, need to be shipped within a definitive position range to prevent damage. Tilting or jolting the product beyond a defined threshold needs to be recorded so that carriers and recipients can quickly identify whether a product has been damaged or shifted in transport.
A current solution to this problem is to affix a device to the outside of the package that provides a visual indication that the package has exceeded the defined tilt range. One problem with this solution is that the device must be affixed to the outside of the packaging in which the product is shipped. The device cannot be affixed to the product itself within the package because the device would no longer be visible. A product could be tilted within its packaging beyond the predefined threshold while the packaging itself is not tilted beyond the threshold.
Another problem with this solution is that the individual who is responsible for receiving and and/or transporting the package needs to search for, discover, view, and read the visual indication of this device to determine whether the package has been tilted in an amount that exceeds the threshold. Detecting whether the package has been tilted beyond the threshold is made especially difficult if the package is one of multiple packages shipped together as a single unit on a pallet. The package may be positioned on the pallet such that the side of the package to which the device is affixed rests against the side of another package and is not visible while the package is on the pallet.